René Petit

Renato Petit de Ory, better known by his French name, René Petit (8 October 1899 – 14 October 1989), was a Franco-Spanish engineer, known for being a footballer in his youth. He was one of the most popular players in Spanish football in the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s, playing for Real Madrid and Real Unión, and becoming a member of the France national team. He represented France at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Belgium.

The figure of René Petit has a double ambivalence. On the one hand, there is his dual nationality, French and Spanish, and his status as a Basque-French. On the other hand, there is his double vocation: the first, as a brilliant footballer, and the second, as a clever civil engineer, who built Bilbao's Arenal Bridge and the Yesa Reservoir.

Early life René Petit was born in Dax, France, by pure chance, since his pregnant mother, a Spaniard born in Madrid, had traveled to that town just for treatments at its thermal waters; she was in a spa taking hot springs when the waters broke. His father was a French engineer who was a high official of the Company of Railways in Northern Spain, holding the post of head of traffic. From there he joined Madrid FC's youth teams in 1914 together with his brother Juan. The Petits had their names Castilianized and were known in Spain as Juan and Renato. In the very next match on 29 November, the Petits scored all three in Madrid's 3–2 victory over Atlético Madrid, two from René and one from Juan. Just a few weeks later, Petit made his debut in the Copa del Rey, becoming one of the youngest players in the competition's history and then playing in the El Classico semifinals that saw Madrid FC defeat FC Barcelona after four thrilling matches in which his brother Juan scored one goal.

Shortly before the 1917 final, his older brother was drafted into the French army, while René stayed in Madrid due to still being a minor of 17; In addition to these three cup titles, Petit also helped the club win eight Gipuzkoa championships. In the decisive game, Petit, who always felt Basque, played against Basque Country, missing a penalty in an eventual 1–1 draw that was enough for the Basques to win the cup. This prevented him from later being international with the Spanish national team, In 1937, Francisco Franco ordered the reconstruction of Bilbao's Arenal Bridge, which had been destroyed during the war, and Petit was the chosen engineer to oversee its construction, which ended in June 1938, when a new reinforced concrete bridge was opened.

After the war, he was in charge of the Ebro reservoir works, until he returned to Yesa. In 1945, under the direction of René Petit, two renovations of the Yesa Reservoir project were carried out, the first one was approved by Ministerial Order on 6 February, and the second and definitive one on 15 September. At the end of these works, in 1959, he moved, as second chief, to the head of Public Works of Gipuzkoa, but following the inauguration of the Yesa Reservoir by Francisco Franco in late 1959, Petit decided to settle down to spend more time with his family, thus accepting a position at the San Sebastián Highway Headquarters, where he remains until his retirement in 1969, always maintaining his domicile in Fuenterrabía.

Later life and death Petit shied away from popularity and refused interviews, which is why he was forgotten by the football media. In any case, he accumulated a large number of recognitions, such as the Royal Order of Sports Merit. On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee (1952), Petit received the club's Gold and Diamond Insignia from Santiago Bernabéu. It was a way of honoring who many consider Real Madrid's first great star.

Among the rewards for his professional work, Petit received a Commendation of the Order of Civil Merit, and the Medal of Honor awarded by the College of Civil Engineers, Canals and Ports in 1986.

Petit died in Hondarribia on 14 October 1989, at the age of 90.

Honours Club Madrid FC Copa del Rey: Winners (1): 1917

Real Unión Copa del Rey: Winners (1): 1918, 1924, and 1927

International Madrid Prince of Asturias Cup: Runner-up (1): 1916